Updated: SIU to repay more than $1.7 million in unpaid furlough

IU Carbondale will pay at least $1.7 million to nearly 1,500 employees who were forced to take unpaid furlough days in 2011.

The move comes on the heels of a legal decision issued Dec. 18 by the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, which upheld a previous decision that the university bargained in bad faith with three employee unions in regards to the furlough and must repay the lost wages.

On Wednesday, SIU administrators met with the Board of Trustees’ executive committee, and board chairman Randal Thomas said the committee counseled President Randy Dunn not to appeal the labor board’s decision. The university had until Thursday to file an appeal.

“A lengthy appeal could lead to significant additional costs,” Dunn said in a news release Thursday afternoon. “There are obviously multiple sides and perspectives to any issue, but it makes sense for us to close the page on this difficult period and look forward to the future in partnership with all our faculty and staff.”

Dunn said “it’s too early to say” when employees can expect to receive their reimbursement. They still have to track down all the former employees impacted by the ruling.

The money will come from contingency funds and savings from employee attrition, Dunn said.

Three employee unions — the SIUC Non-Tenure Track Faculty Association, the Association of Civil Service Employees and the SIUC Faculty Association — filed the original complaint against the university. All are associated with the Illinois Education Association.

Jim Wall, president of the non-tenure track union, said he’s excited to close this chapter in the union’s history.

“It’s like a ton of bricks has been lifted,” he said. “Everybody seems to be putting that era behind and moving on. It’s good.”